


Silver Stars

by jazzybun



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Angst, Canon Compliant, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fluff, M/M, Slow Burn, You’ll see what I mean as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-11-27 10:25:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20946806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jazzybun/pseuds/jazzybun
Summary: For as long as he can remember, he could never seem to keep those he holds dear close to him. Tragedy after tragedy, he doesn’t expect a happily ever after. He doesn’t believe he deserves one. He’s already thankful enough for having friends to keep him going. His routine changes the day he meets a mysterious man in the marketplace. When an opportunity to enjoy himself for the first time in years is presented to him, it’s almost too good to be true. Little did he know one decision would change everything.———He spent years dedicating himself to serve the prince. He decided this the moment his life was spared. Despite the prince encouraging him to pursue a life of his own, he swore that nothing would change his mind. That is until a stranger he met somehow adds himself into his life. For once, he felt open to share more about himself with this stranger. He begins to doubt himself and what he truly wants to accomplish in life. To live his life by the side of his lord or with the one he cherishes the most. Only can decide that for himself.





	Silver Stars

**Author's Note:**

> hello there! i’m jazz, and this is my first time writing for fire emblem. i’ve been a fan of the series for years now, but i could never have inspiration to write for one reason or another. after playing three houses, i really enjoyed ashe and dedue’s dynamic. their ending is especially one of my favorites! this fic is going to be a dedue/ashe cinderella au, albeit a sort of non conventional one. i haven’t written in quite some time so i hope you guys can forgive me for being a bit rusty. i’m always open to any constructive criticism that you guys may have, but i’m also writing this just for the heck of it. anyways, i hope you all enjoy!

The earliest memory he could remember happened long ago. He was just a small child, too young to do much but old enough to understand a few things. He remembered a man, his father, cooking in a kitchen of the restaurant they owned. It wasn’t the most popular, but it was enough to keep them going. He walked into the kitchen to see what his father was making this time. He didn’t remember what exactly it was. All he knew was that it smelled fantastic. His father chopped what he presumed to be vegetables, hands precise in movement, a true skill that took years to master. He hoped to one day be able to cook the same as his father, wanting to help around the kitchen too.

“Sweetie, please do be careful with that knife. Our child is right next to you and he could get hurt if anything happens.”

The young boy and his father turned to see a woman standing by the doorway. His mother, the child remembered. She usually worked in the kitchen with her husband, but she was currently taking a break. Not long ago, she had a slimmer figure. As the months passed, her stomach grew larger. She had told him that he was going to be a big brother, and that the baby could be born at any moment. He didn’t really understand much of it, but seeing his mother happy made him happy as well.

“He must’ve snuck in again while I wasn’t looking. I guess he just gets excited to see his old man at work. Isn’t that right, small fry?”

The boy looked up at his father and nodded enthusiastically. The man laughed in a fit of joy. He set the knife down and picked his son up from the ground, the child giggling in the process. “One day, you’ll be Mama and Papa’s little helper in the kitchen. Then you’ll be the best cook in all of Faerghus!”

The woman shook her head at her husband and child’s antics, yet she couldn’t help but chuckle at the scene before her. She walked over to them to the best of her ability when the man tried to stop her. “Honey, you should be resting. The baby must be so heavy for you...”

She gave a quick peck to his lips before smiling back at him. “Did you forget who you married? I’m not going to let anything slow me down. Besides, someone needs to watch over our child while you’re busy in the kitchen.”

She pat her child’s head, the boy giggled while still holding on to his father. For a moment, time stood still, and they felt as if they were the only people in the world sharing a tender moment. That is, until one of the servers who worked at their restaurant came in.

“Sorry for the intrusion. I don’t mean to interrupt anything, but I just wanted to check if the next order was ready yet,” the server boy said, a flushed look on his face for walking in on an intimate family interaction.

“I was just about finished with it. In fact, let me be the one to serve it. It’s been a while since I last interacted with the customers,” the man carried his child with one arm while carrying the plate of food with his other available hand.

“Are you sure, sir? I-I could help if there’s too much for you to carry,” the server boy tried to interject.

“Nonsense! You already work hard as it is. This one’s on me.” The man walked out of the kitchen to the main area of the restaurant, his wife following close behind him.

The boy remembered that there weren’t many people, yet there were still enough to hear constant conversations overlapping with each other. Most of the patrons were regulars, while just a few he didn’t recognize.

“Well, if it isn’t the lord and lady of the hour! Along with the boy, I see!” One of the patrons, the butcher from a nearby shop, joked. The rest of the patrons greeted them as well. The child wasn’t able to remember every single one of them. All he knew was that they were friends with his parents, and that was why they were so chummy to begin with.

“Very funny, good sir. Today, I serve you with your usual.” The man set the plate of food on the table of the butcher. The boy wished he could remember the name of the dish so he can cook it too one day. Maybe when he was older.

The butcher took a bite of the food and savored the taste. “You always know how to make it the best. You both deserve more recognition than you actually get. The whole kingdom should know about this place!”

“As much as we would love that, times haven’t been the same since the plague. Resources are short too....” by this point the boy didn’t understand the conversation his father was having anymore. He didn’t know what the word “play-ge” was or what it meant, but it must’ve been scary by the sounds of it. He had no idea why his father suddenly looked so sad either. He couldn’t think about it too long before he felt a hand pinch his cheek.

“Why, aren’t you just the cutest thing! You’ve grown so much! And it was only yesterday when you were just a baby.” A lady, the dress designer, gushed at the young boy. When she let go, he buried his face into his father’s shoulder. He didn’t like it when people who weren’t his mother or father pinched his cheek.

“Careful, miss. He can be a bit shy sometimes. He’s still so young that he can’t remember everyone here’s faces yet,” his father defended him.

“I’m terribly sorry,” she apologized. “But to think, he’s already going to be an older brother soon! Do either of you know when the baby is due?”

“It should be some time soon. I’m already far along, so maybe in the next few weeks or so, I hope,” his mother chimed in.

That was all he can remember as his earliest memory. The background conversations drowned out. The lulling sounds of laughter from his mother and father. His eyes began to droop. And the next thing he knew, he fell asleep.

⋅ • ⋅ ⊰ ∙ ∘☽༓☾∘ ∙ ⊱⋅ • ⋅

He ran.

Ran.

Ran.

Ran.

Ran as fast as he could.

He heard distant yelling from behind him. He was being chased.

He couldn’t stop now. Not when he was so close. 

He meant to be quick. He meant to be quiet. He wasn’t quiet enough.

Tears began to form in his eyes, but he kept them from falling. He’d have trouble seeing where he was going. Especially with someone after him.

He couldn’t breathe properly. The air was too cold. He was tired.

Turning a corner in an alleyway, he hid between the walls. He tried to pick up his breath. He tried not to be too loud. Or else he would be caught.

He didn’t know how long he had been hiding. He couldn’t stay for too long. He had somewhere to be.

Gathering himself, he walked away from the alleyway and made a discreet journey to the darker parts of the village. He hated being here. Too many bad people. Then again, he supposed he was considered a bad person too. Has been, for some time now.

He made is to the designated meeting spot. There was a man standing underneath a street light. There weren’t many people around. Even if there were, they wouldn’t care about what anyone was doing. No one did in these parts.

He walked over to the man when the man finally noticed the boy. The man went by the nickname “Rags”. No one knew why he was called that, nor did they even know his real name. No one cared though. It was none of their business.

“Rags” sneered down at him. “Did you bring it?”

The boy nodded. Reaching into the pocket of his old torn hoodie, he pulled out a small sack. He handed it over to the older man. When the man opened it, a good amount of jewelry was found inside.

Some time after his younger brother was born, the restaurant closed down. Food became scarce, and there weren’t enough ingredients to prepare the dishes as they used to. No one had the time to wait for a meal that wasn’t prepared to its best quality. With the lack of ingredients and the lack of customers, his parents couldn’t keep the restaurant that they so cherished open. His father ended up in a labor job, with his mother working part-time at a shop in order to have time to take care of the kids. If neither were home, he would take it upon himself to take care of his siblings. They didn’t make much income, but it was enough to keep a roof over their heads and eat when they needed to.

His parents both caught a disease while working. They stayed in their room, refusing to let their children in, afraid they might catch the same illness. Some family friends would come every now and then to watch the kids and check on their parents. One even brought medical herbs in hopes that it might help. It didn’t. Ultimately, his parents lost their lives to the disease. The two strongest people he knew lost the battle. To add another nail in the coffin, the children were kicked out of their own home. None of the family friends that were with them through the dark times volunteered to take them in. Then, he was upset at them, feeling abandoned and let down by the adults that he thought he could trust. The ones his parents trusted. Now, he finally understood why. Times were already difficult. They couldn’t afford to have three more mouths to feed, especially with one of them being a toddler.

So the boy took it upon himself to take care of the only family he had left. 

The boy tried to live honestly. He took on any type of job he could find. Working as a temporary messenger boy, helping farmers with what crops they had, cleaning the shops of the marketplace after hours. It still wasn’t enough. It was never enough. All he ever earned was table scraps or barely enough coins to buy clothes, blankets, food, anything to provide for his siblings. The three constantly moved around. Some days they would sleep in unused crates to hide from the rain (even if it would leak from time to time). Some days they were lucky to find shelter in abandoned sheds, only to flee once they were found out.

When his brother fell ill, he attempted to buy medical herbs with what money he had. The local physician unfortunately told him that he didn’t have enough. Finally at a point of desperation, the boy did what he swore he would never do.

His first attempt didn’t go so well. He was almost caught immediately after attempting to steal some coins from a customer of one of the food stalls. Noticing this attempt, a few other orphan boys decided to help him in his endeavor and taught him tricks to steal and survive on the street. With this advice, his second attempt was a success. He only stole a few more coins that he needed for the medical herbs, as well as some food for his siblings to eat. Once his brother recovered, the younger two smiled the brightest he had seen since the incident over how much food he had brought. He didn’t buy much for himself, putting his brother and sister as the top priorities, even if it meant becoming more malnourished than them. He wanted them to keep their smiles for as long as he can. It was ultimately what kept him going to continue stealing.

The same boys who taught him how to steal also taught him how to pick locks and break into homes of nobles to steal some of their goods. They then gave the stolen goods to an older man who was considered their “protector.” He would sell the goods and split the coins between the few of them. While some decided to work in groups, the boy decided to work by himself, not wanting anyone to get caught if he made any mistakes. He wore a hood over his head to make sure no one would get a look of his face and recognize him. He also took their advice of bargaining for lower costs in order not to spend so much all at once. This was the routine that he followed for almost a year now.

“Rags” smirked at a job well done. “Good work, kid. You’ll definitely be paid a great amount the next time we meet. Speaking of which, here’s your keep from your last run.”

Putting the sack of jewels into one coat pocket, he grabbed another small sack from his other pocket and tossed it to the boy. The boy opened it and counted the amount of coins inside. It should be enough to last the week if he bargained for lower deals.

“...Thank you,” the boy said. “Rags” waved goodbye and walked away. The young child stopped by food stall to buy some bread before heading back to his siblings before nightfall. This time, the three children were hiding in an alleyway behind one of the stores. He built them a small make-shift fort with wood from unused crated he found on the streets. It wasn’t the best, but it would have to do until he found them a better place to stay. The older blankets covered the top parts of the fort to keep anything leaking in. Making his way into the alleyway, two small figures ran towards him and hugged him.

“Big Brother, you’re back!” the girl cried out for the older boy. She was his younger sister of three years, Ava. His younger brother, Aiden, was only two years younger than her. Both were still very young. They had been waiting for his return all day.

“Don’t worry you two. I’m still okay,” he said as he patted both of their heads. “Here, I brought you guys something to eat before bed. From a small bag, he took out a large loaf of bread and broke it in half. He gave Ava one half and the other to Aiden.

Aiden smiled with excitement and exclaimed, “Thank you!” Ava nodded in agreement and was about to take a bite before she noticed something wrong.

“You’re not eating again,” she pointed out to her older brother. He smiled sheepishly as she figured it out once again.

“I already ate, so I’m not really that hung-“ before he could finish this lie, his stomach grumbled loudly enough for all three to hear. Ava sighed and broke off a piece of her bread.

“Here. Please, eat it,” she tried to urge him. Aiden saw his older sister and mimicked her actions.

“Eat,” he said as his small hand offered a piece of bread to his older brother. Said child couldn’t help but feel guilty. He’s suppose to be the one watching over them, not the other way around. Ultimately he turned them down.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Both of you need to eat more than I do. Besides, winter is going to hit again and I need to save enough to make sure we have enough food, clothes, and blankets for the next few months,” he tried to persuade them. Mostly Ava, as Aiden was still too young to fully understand their situation.

Ava pouted in frustration, upset that he was too stubborn to eat. “It’s not fair! You never let us help you! I want to help buy food for you and work for money like you do!”

Aiden, still not able to speak grammatically correct, once again tried to mimic the words his sister spoke, “I want help big bro, too!”

The boy giggled at this interaction, but then gave his younger sister a warm, reassuring smile. “Ava, you’re already helping me a lot in your own way. I need someone to take care of Aiden while I’m out. You’re doing a good job at it, too. I don’t like leaving you two alone, but it’s not safe out there either. Maybe one day when you two are older you can help me out a bit.”

He never told Ava what he actually did to earn his money. He would never forgive himself if she realized her older brother was actually a bad influence. He hoped both of his siblings would never resort to thievery like he did. Thankfully, that time didn’t have to come any time soon.

Ava looked up at him with her bright eyes, not knowing if he was telling the truth. She raised her hand close to him and extended her tiny pinky finger out. “Promise?”

Surprised, he decided to follow along in order to make her happy. He linked his pinky finger with hers. “I promise.”

When the two were done eating, the boy led them to their “beds” and soothed them until they were both fast asleep. He always slept last. Not only just to make sure they were sleeping well, but also because he had trouble sleeping as of late. Several nights ago, right before dozing off, he swore he saw a figure in the alleyway who had the face of his father. When he sat up in shock, the figure vanished. Since then, he swore he saw a ghost of some sort. He kept it to himself, as he didn’t really have anyone to confide in. Not anymore.

He suddenly felt a cold a cold breeze, taking him out of his thoughts. He wrapped his one blanket around himself tightly to keep himself warmer, compared to the two each of his siblings had. He told Ava he would buy himself an extra when she expressed her concerns. He had yet to do so.

He realized that this would be their first winter outdoors with no shelter. What little he had was not enough to keep them all warm for the entire season. Some place like an inn would suffice. Even if he couldn’t afford a room of his own, he just needed a room for Ava and Aiden to sleep in.

That was when he decided he needed to pull off a grand heist. Usually when it came to robbing items from a noble’s home, the orphan boys would help each other, mostly because it meant more aid and splitting a large amount between the lot of them. He couldn’t risk splitting the money he needed for his siblings. He had to do it on his own. And he knew just the place he could find the richest goods in all of Gaspard.

⋅ • ⋅ ⊰ ∙ ∘☽༓☾∘ ∙ ⊱⋅ • ⋅

Castle Gaspard was the home of the revered Lord Lonato and his son, Christophe. Or so, that’s what he heard. The other orphan boys had always spoken about how they’ve wanted to steal from there, but couldn’t out of fear that they would be caught. They heard tales of how he was a former warrior who was merciless towards his enemies. The boys feared that they would be executed instead of being handed over to the authorities. Not sure how much of that was actually truth or based on rumors, the young boy decided to take his chances and steal as much as he can to sell for a large sum of coins.

“Only enough for your siblings,” a small voice in his head told him. It was right. At this point, he was about to commit possibly one of the biggest crimes ever done. He didn’t deserve anything good that came to him. He wouldn’t mind suffering for his siblings to prosper.

Although not considering himself one-hundred percent certain in his skills, he believed he was small, slim, and nimble enough to quietly sneak in then sneak out. He figured there would be guards patrolling the area, so he came up with a plan that would (hopefully) work.

It was late at night when he decided to put his plans into fruition. The boy scaled around the gates, careful to make as little sound as possible. The full moon that night worked to his favor. He was able to watch his steps to make sure he wouldn’t step on any small tree branches or dried leaves. It was easier to make out where the guards would be, as their shadows gave away their position.

Once he scaled the area, he deduced that the side of the gate that was closest to the barn animals had the least guards. He also had a risk of waking up the animals and alert the guards of his presence. It was a risk he was willing to take, as the barn was also the closest to what was presumably the kitchen. He knew this from the other endeavors he had from the other noble houses. The layouts tended to be similar in certain aspects.

He climbed up the gate and used the light of the moon to see if he would land on anything that could cause commotion. He noticed a wheelbarrow full of hay nearby. He decided to land carefully on it in order to cushion his fall. Carefully positioning himself to hold on the the edge of the gate, he swiftly fell back into the hay. He stayed hidden for a few moments in case any soldiers were nearby. When he deduced no one was looking around, he jumped out of the wheelbarrow and swiftly made his way to the barnyard. He tiptoed his way towards the door that might’ve led to the kitchen. He made it to the stairs and saw the animals still asleep. He took a moment to sigh in relief and turned his attention towards the lock on the door. He took a pin from his pocket and attempted to pick the lock. Locks from certain shopkeepers were easier to open compared to those of the nobles. It made sense of course, but that didn’t make his work any easier.

After a few minutes of trying to pick the lock, it finally clicked open. He slowly put the lock down and very carefully opened the door, making sure it wouldn’t creak if he opened it too quickly. When he entered the room, he was right in assuming that it would be the kitchen. He slowly closed the door behind him. He quickly moved across the kitchen and made it to the other side. He pressed his ear against the door. He was sure it would lead to one of the many hallways. He heard footsteps coming closer to the door, and then they walked away. When he no longer heard anything, he opened the door and entered the hallway. He immediately stopped in place.

The castle was so grand! Despite the curtains being drawn, some of the candles were still lit enough to make out the place. He had been into mansions of nobles before, but this one was more exquisite than any of the others combined.

He quickly shook his head out of his thoughts. He didn’t have time to marvel at anything inside. He would only be what he came here for then leave as soon as possible.

The first hour or so had him try to figure out the pathways of the castle. It was larger than anything he had ever seen before, and he feared he might become lost if he wasn’t careful. He also had a few close encounters with some guards, but they didn’t notice him as far as he could tell. Whenever he stole from noble homes with the other boys, each would take only certain items as to make less commotion with their sacks as possible. Things such as fine dishes or vases were out of the question. He figured he could take small jewels of some sort or fancy clothes that could maybe be thrown around.

When he neared one of the rooms, he peeked into the keyhole to check if any lights were on. If a room was too dark, he wouldn’t enter in case it was a servant’s sleeping quarters. If a light was on, but the inside looked like a bedroom, he would also skip entering, as someone could be awake. This room in particular, however, seemed to still have its curtains drawn. He could see the room brightened by the light of the room. Perhaps a servant forgot to close the curtains. From the looks of it, it seemed to be the library.

The boy decided that the easiest things to take tonight would be the books. There had to be some large value to them. Commoners never really had the chance to learn how to read or write, nor did they own such books with fancy covers, so selling this could prove that they belonged to someone of a higher status.

He opened the door and slipped into the room, closing the door behind him. Walking around the shelves of books, he took some time to take a look at the covers. The fancier they are, the more they may be of value. He shouldn’t take too many. The more he takes, the heavier they will be for him to escape. If he takes too many at once, the lords or servants may notice, which could cause an increase in security. He supposed he could take a few older looking books and one or two fancy ones. That should be enough to begin saving first. He used the moonlight through the window to look at the covers of the books.

He grabbed the books he decided to take and put them into a large sack. Satisfied with what he had, he made his way to the exit when he suddenly bumped into a shelf, one he did not notice before. One of the books from the shelf fell to the ground. Fearing someone heard, the boy put the sack down and hurriedly picked up the book. He was going to put it back when the light of the moon shone onto an illustration. The drawing happened to be the cover of the book. On it was the picture of a chivalrous knight, looking victorious and heroic. Intrigued and enamored, the boy couldn’t help but open the book. Not to his surprise, he couldn’t make out what the words said, but the illustrations told their own story. He flipped through the pages and tried to decipher each one. One showed the knight in battle, battling a mighty creature. Another showed the knight with a young maiden.

Before he could continue looking through the book, he suddenly felt a large hand pull his hood of his head. In shock, he turned to see who had caught him, only to see a large figure standing before him, blocking his way to the exit. He dropped the book in fear and stepped back. He felt a wall behind him and realized he was trapped. He slunk to the ground and covered his face with his arms, as if it would’ve done anything to defend himself from the giant before him.

“I-I’m so sorry! Please, don’t hurt me!” he exclaimed. This wasn’t how he was suppose to go. In a moment of panic, he believed everything the other orphan boys told him. He was going to be executed for his crimes, not being given a chance to explain himself. He would never see his brother or sister again. Oh, dear goddess. Who would watch over Ava and Aiden? Would they think their older brother abandoned them? Aiden might not remember him, but what if Ava never forgave herself for not helping him? It was too late to think about his mistakes now. It was all over for him.

As he cowered in fear, he felt the hand pat his head gently. Confused, he lowered his arm and was greeted by the face of an older man. There was now a candle light that lit up their side of the library. He was able to see the older man’s face more clearly.

The man had dark brown hair and a mustache, but seemed to have a few strands of gray hair to show his age. He had a tired but soft look on his face, tired from either being up late at night or something completely different. He was wearing a nightgown, robe, and nightcap, so he most likely woke up not too long ago. Although the nightgown and robe covered it, the boy could tell the old man had muscle to him, especially with his lean face shape. Blueish-green eyes gazing down at him sympathetically. Maybe he was a soldier off-duty who had clocked in for the night. Then the man spoke.

“My, my, aren’t you a young one,” he said soft, yet gruff voice. “How on earth did you end up in here?”

The boy didn’t say a word, still in shock over what just occurred. He eyed the sack he left on the ground. The old man saw this and turned over to the spot. The sack was slightly open, revealing at least one or two books in it. After a moment of silence, the old man chuckled heartily. The boy had no clue as to what was going on.

“I must say, I have to applaud you! You actually manage to evade the soldiers and break in. You’re not the first to attempt so, but the ones who did all fled before any of my soldiers could catch them. You must be very clever and quick on your feet,” the old man took a good look at the boy. “Although, you do look very small and light. No wonder it was difficult for the guards to hear your footsteps. If one of the servants hadn’t alerted me that the kitchen door was open, you might’ve actually succeeded in this little heist of yours.”

The boy mentally facepalmed. How could he have forgotten to close the kitchen door? It must’ve been when he was distracted by the interior of the hallway. That was stupidly careless of him. The man must’ve noticed the disappointed look on his face as he began to speak again.

“Don’t worry child, you’re in no trouble. Given the circumstances, I can only assume the reason why you decided to break in here of all places. You must have been desperate. And I don’t doubt you, given how close it is to winter soon,” The old man stood up from where he was crouching to meet the eye-level with the boy sitting on the floor. He extended his hand to help the boy up. The child hesitated for a bit before he gave in and accepted his assistance. The man then walked over to where the boy dropped the book with the fancy cover and picked it up.

“Come. Follow me. We’ll leave the books there for now. You don’t have to worry about the guards, I promise,” he urged the child to follow. The boy wasn’t sure if he should believe him, opting to run away when he had the chance. He figured doing so would land him into more trouble, so he decided to follow instead.

The man held onto the boy’s small hand and led him through the hallways. He wasn’t sure where exactly he was going, as they were walking away further from the kitchen. He had only scaled one side of the castle, thinking it would be quicker to enter and leave. At this point, he would need someone to help him out.

The two stopped in front of a double door. The man opened it and led them into what seemed to be his chambers. The boy gasped in awe. The room was nothing but extraordinary. The finest pieces of furniture decorated the room neatly. There were curtains closed, but the boy could guess that it possibly led to a grand balcony. The bed was neatly made. He supposed the man was still getting ready for bed before he was warned of the intrusion.

He was suddenly picked up and placed on the bed. His immediate thought was to get off, not wanting to dirty the sheets with his old clothes, but the man urged him to sit.

“Stay right there, let me get something real quick,” he turned to one of his drawers and opened it. The boy couldn’t tell what the man was doing since his back was turned to him, but he was able to hear the sounds of small items shuffling about.

The man came back with a small, yet full sack of items inside. “Here you go, I want you to have this.”

The boy opened the sack carefully. His eyes widened when he realized it was a sack full of gold coins! “A-Are you sure it’s okay for you to be giving me this?! Wouldn’t the lord of this castle be upset at you for giving all of this to me?”

It was the man’s turn to look surprised at the boy, but it was quickly replaced by the look of endearment. “Don’t you worry, child. The lord of this place won’t be upset at the amount of coins given to you. In fact, you happen to be speaking with him at their very moment.”

If the boy was given a gold coin for each time he was surprised tonight, he might a well have bought himself a feast for himself and his siblings. He dropped the sack of coins on the bed and immediately knelt on the floor. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were Lord Lonato himself! I promise you won’t have to see my face again! I’ll stay as far away from you as possible and-“

“You don’t have to be so hard on yourself,” Lord Lonato interrupted, urging the boy to stand back up. “And I’m not giving you these coins as a bribery to stay away. I’m giving this to you to help provide for your family.”

The boy looked up at Lonato, tears beginning to form in his eyes. How could such a high-ranked noble be so kind?

“I heard from many just how much the people of Gaspard are suffering. I’ve requested aid from the other kingdoms of Faerghus, but they all seem to have their own problems to deal with in their own territories. Seeing before me one such example of my people, it only shows to prove that I need to work harder to help them.” The boy saw a different look on Lonato. One of weariness. This wasn’t the man the orphan boys told him about. This was a man who wanted to aid his subject but couldn’t do to reasons beyond his control. “I promise you that I  will  aid everyone in need. I swear it.”

At that moment, the boy looked at Lonato in awe. The way he stood, the way he gave his speech. He almost looked like the knight on the cover of the book if it weren’t for his nightwear.

Lonato sighed, “Forgive me. I don’t know why I poured my feelings onto a small child like yourself. I understand my troubles aren’t ones you need to fret over at the moment. Regardless, it is already very late. How would you like to stay the night in one of the guest rooms?”

The boy thought over the suggestion and immediately shook his head. “I-I’m sorry, but I can’t stay. It’s just- I mean- My family...”

“I understand. I assume your parents would be very concerned to find their son missing in the morning.”

The boy didn’t have the heart to tell Lord Lonato that it was only him and his siblings now. He was already a burden for keeping him up late at night and causing a commotion. Before he could give his farewells, Lonato had one more thing to say.

“Before I forget, I have one more thing to give you. You seemed very invested into this book when I found you.  Loog and the Maiden of Wind.  Not bad tastes, if I do say so myself. Here, I want you to have it,” Lonato handed the book to the boy. He nearly choked on air in surprise.

“Bu-But I can’t take this! I don’t deserve it, after almost stealing from you! I-“

“Nonsense! Consider it a gift. I’m sure it would be a nice book for you to read at home when you have the time. And if your parents give you any trouble for it, then let them know that I’m willing to help sort things out if they allow it.”

The boy looked down in disappointment, “It’s not that. It’s just that- I just- I....” He felt himself shrink in embarrassment under the gaze of Lonato. “...I don’t know how to read...”

Without hearing an immediate response, the boy thought Lonato would chastise him for not learning something so simple, or reprimand his parents for never taking the time to teach him. He was about to apologize again before the older man spoke.

“How about this. Whenever you have any spare time available, you can visit us whenever you like, and I can help teach you how to read and write. And no immediate objection. Take some time to consider it. My only request is that you give up thieving. It’s too dangerous, and I’m sure your family wouldn’t want to find you hurt one day, assuming they don’t know about this. If you’re low on money, I’m always open to lend a hand, and I won’t take no for an answer.”

The boy couldn’t believe that the noble was willing to do this much for a commoner like himself. It felt too unrealistic to be real. Almost as if it were a dream. Except it wasn’t a dream. He was indeed living in reality. He didn’t want to bother Lord Lonato. It would be too much of a burden to ask for his help, especially since he was already involved in trying to reform Gaspard. And yet...

He wanted to be selfish. Just this once. He wanted to know how to read and write. He wanted to be able to know what it was the knight in the book in the story did that made him such a hero. He wanted the gold coins to help provide for his brother and sister. The amount Lonato had given him was enough to almost last them the whole winter! He didn’t want to ask for more than he already got. He’ll bargain to get the lowest prices. They don’t have to stay anywhere fancy, just an inn that provided rooms to sleep in. He’ll go back to working honestly if it meant his siblings felt safe.

After figuring out his thought, the boy nodded and accepted Lonato’s offer. “Okay, I promise.”

Suddenly, the doors barged open and Lonato and the boy were startled by a voice, “Father! Are you alright?!”

The boy scurried and hid behind Lonato’s legs, afraid of whoever abruptly ended their conversation. He peeked over and saw a young man who looked about to be in his mid-late teens. He was panting heavily, presumably running all over the place. He had a sword by his side, either to defend or attack. Needless to say, the boy felt as though he was in trouble once again and trembled in fear

“I heard one of the servants say someone broke in! I was worried they would harm you, so I grabbed my sword and ran as I could to find the intruder or protect you and-“ the teen stopped when he notice a small figure peeking behind Lonato. “Wait. Who’s that behind you?”

Lonato groaned, “Christophe, please, put the sword down. You’re scaring the child. He’s shaking like a leaf.”

The teen named Christophe sheathed back his sword and walked closer to his father. “You’re telling me this tiny kid is the one who broke in?”

“Yes, and I’ve already had a talk with him. There’s no need to instill more fear into him. I’m surprised he hasn’t fainted out of pure shock yet.”

Christophe laughed at Lonato’s words, then knelt down to meet eye-level with the boy, who was still peeking out from behind the old man. “Hey there, little buddy. Sorry for giving you a scare back there. I just wanted to protect my father from harm. Knowing you’re no threat to us, how about I get a good look at ya?”

The boy, albeit skeptical, was quick to believe in Christophe’s words. He seemed like a nice person. Judging by their conversation, he trusted his father’s words as well and meant no harm. He stepped out from behind Lonato and got a good look at Christophe. He looked similar to Lonato. They both had the same skin complexion and dark brown hair, except Christophe’s was shorter, with his bangs swept to the side. His eyes were brighter. He smiled at the boy, showing a more welcoming personality.

“He needs to get back home. Normally I wouldn’t send him alone, but I don’t want his parents to wake up to find their child with my guards. Maybe you could at least lead him to the front gates, Christophe? Oh, and let the guards know that if they see him in the future, let him in. He’s going to be visiting every now and then when he has the spare time.”

“Really? That’s great! I can’t wait to teach this kid all kind’s of stuff! C’mon, little buddy. I’ll lead you to the front gates,” Christophe gestured to the boy to grab his hand. The boy, ready to leave, grabbed the sack of coins and book that Lonato had given him and held onto Christophe’s hand. As he was being led out, Lonato called out to him.

“Wait just a moment! I have one more thing to ask. What is your name, young one?”

The little boy looked back at Lonato, giving him a small, sweet smile.

“My name... is Ashe.”

**Author's Note:**

> this prologue chapter was originally going to be longer, but after writing it out, i realized it was getting way too long, so i cut them in half. because i’m a busy college student, i can’t guarantee constant updates. that said, i’ll at least attempt a bi-monthly schedule, but i can’t make any promises. if you ever want to scream with me over this au, or if you have any questions about it, feel free to talk to me at any time on twitter!
> 
> twitter: @jazzybuns


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